Where It All Began...40 Years Ago.
In September 1969, Robert H. Schuller visited his close friend Billy Graham at his Crusade in Anaheim, California. Rev. Graham said, "Bob, my weekly radio program is called the Hour of Decision. I think you should go on television with your powerful message and call it the Hour of Power."
So in February 1970, the foundation of what has become the longest-running, most widely viewed televised church service in the history of the world was laid when Dr. Schuller telecast his first Hour of Power program to the Los Angeles viewing area.
A year later, the Hour of Power was on in New York City. Chicago was added soon after. And by 1973, the program was seen on 12 stations across the United States.
By 1985, the Hour of Power's fifteenth year on television, it could be viewed by 70 percent of the United States' population.
Today, televised services from the Crystal Cathedral are watched by nearly one million persons weekly in the United States (available to over 200 million), across Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Africa, Russia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, making it the most-watched televised church service on television.
With today's technology, an estimated one billion people have access to the Hour of Power's unique, positive message of love and hope originating from the Crystal Cathedral. What an extraordinary opportunity!
